The controversy surrounding Dr. Ben Carsonillustrates a national crisis that has been ignored – and tolerated – for far too long.

Carson, a renowned neurosurgeon, burst onto the national scene with his resounding National Prayer Breakfast address in February. His conservative views have made him the Right’s newest star. The inconvenient fact that he is an African-American conservative does not sit well with the Left, however, which has hammered away at Carson since Day One with a variety of methods ranging from dismissing him, ridiculing him, attempting to drive a wedge between Carson and conservatives, and (most recently) a full-on attack over Carson’s gay-marriage remarks last week (a matter that should not have provoked a controversy, as I wrote on this site).

On his show Monday night, during a heated segment regarding Dr. Carson, Sean Hannity noted:

“[I]f you’re African-American and you’re conservative, you are vilified. You are demonized, you are called names, you are attacked. That is the ongoing epidemic that goes on. There’s no freedom of speech for African-American conservatives in America.”

Does Hannity have a point? In short, yes.

First, consider what was demonstrated in that very segment. Radio-host Leo Turell, not a fan of Dr. Carson’s, bizarrely railed that Dr. Carson’s profession disqualifies him from speaking on political issues, stating: “Ben Carson, you’re a doctor, you’re not a politician!…. I know what I’m talking about, I’m a lawyer!…. I’ve got the credentials!”

Huh? Ask yourself: Is that an argument often employed? And is there an underlying tone that this African-American doctor should keep quiet and know his place?